The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is Glasgow’s star factory, a performing arts school with a history that stretches back to the mid-19th century and a global reputation that ranks it consistently among the world’s top .
The story of the Royal Conservatoire begins in 1847, when it was founded as the Glasgow Athenaeum on Buchanan Street. The Athenaeum was established with a broad educational mission: to provide “mental cultivation, moral improvement and delightful recreation to all classes.” Initially, its focus was primarily on music education, but it rapidly became a vital cultural and educational hub in the city. Notably, the author Charles Dickens delivered the inaugural address at its opening, underscoring its early cultural significance.
By 1886, drama had been introduced into the curriculum, expanding the Athenaeum’s artistic remit. In 1929, its music programme was reorganised as the Scottish National Academy of Music, a turning point that marked its rise in national prominence. The institution received royal recognition in 1944 when King George VI granted it permission to become the Royal Scottish Academy of Music.
A formal College of Dramatic Art was established in 1950, cementing drama training as a core part of its mission. Over the ensuing decades, the Academy continued to grow, winning degree-awarding powers in 1993, the first conservatoire in the UK to do so, and later broadening its degree offerings to encompass research and postgraduate study.
In 2011, the institution adopted its current name, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, to better reflect its interdisciplinary breadth - now covering music, drama, dance, production, and film.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is one of the world's top ten institutions for performing arts education according to the QS World University Rankings.
17. Bill Paterson
Actor Bill Patterson was born in Glasgow in June 1945 and brought up in Dennistoun. His love of acting began during a school trip to the Citizens Theatre in 1961. He graduated from RSAMD in 1969 and has had an extensive film, television and theatre career, including starring in The Crow Road, Outlander, Shetland, The Singing Detective, The Killing Fields and Truly, Madly, Deeply. | IMDB
18. Denis Lawson
A graduate in 1969, Lawson is known for his role as Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy. On the stage, he is a three-time Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical nominee, winning in 1983 for Mr Cinders. | PA
19. David Hayman
Another graduate from the class of 1969, Hayman has acting credits including Hope and Glory, Rob Roy, The Jackal, Trial & Retribution, The Tailor of Panama, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Taboo, The Nest and Andor. | Supplied
20. Tony Curran
Tony Curran's career has included films Red Road, Outlaw King, alongside roles in Doctor Who, Roots, Mayflies, Daredevil and Secret Invasion. He will star as Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat in new series Outlander: Blood of My Blood. He gained a Diploma in Dramatic Art in 1993. | The Scotsman